World's biggest cruise ship will have Orlando-designed slides

Orlando-based Aquatic Design & Engineering is the creative designer for the water slides on what will become the world's largest cruise ship, the Harmony of the Seas.

Josh Martin, president of ADE, said in an interview that designing the giant new slides was a significant job for the firm.

"These are the first real water slides on a Royal Caribbean ship. The goal was to make this a part of the ship's design, to really blend it with the style of the ship," Martin said.

The 16-deck ship is under construction in France. It's a sister ship, but larger, to the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. The ship is expected to carry 5,000 guests in 2,700-plus rooms. It's set to debut in 2016.

ADE has designed water features for theme parks and resorts including Disney, and fountains around the world including for the sprawling presidential palace in Abu Dhabi.

The cruise industry has jumped into the slide business with both feet, Martin said. They are also seeking more land-based resort destinations for cruisers. He said a project such as the Royal Caribbean ship runs around $1.5 to $2 million.

ADE has an exclusive contract with Royal Caribbean for slide design. The firm had done concept work for the cruise line before, but Royal hadn't ever taken the plunge on ship slides.

Martin, 31, took over as president of the firm two years ago, from his father Ken Martin, who founded the company in 1987. ADE employs 14 people in downtown Orlando and has small offices in Dallas and Dubai.

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World's biggest cruise ship will have Orlando-designed slides